Tajikistan’s Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon has ordered to improve inspection of military units in order to identify the hazing cases.
The the press center of the Prosecutor-General’s Office says inspections have already been carried out in the military units to date.
A statement released by the Prosecutor-General’s Office, in particular, says that by chief prosecutor’s instruction prosecutor’s inspections have been carried out in all military units across the country in order to identify cases of bullying and beating of servicemen, identify and prosecute those responsible, increase the responsibility of senior staff.
Recall, an officer, a sergeant, and six former soldiers have been handed lengthy prison terms for bullying and hazing.
The Military Board of the Supreme Court of Tajikistan has considered criminal proceedings instituted against them and sentenced them to prison terms between 9 ½ and 11 ½ years on May 30.
The soldiers were charged with “violation of the statutory rules of relations between military personnel in the absence of a relationship of subordination between them” (Article 373 (2) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code) and criminal proceedings against the chief of the border commandant's office “Vorukh” of military unit 0215 deployed in Sughd’s Isfara district, Lieutenant-Colonel Nuzhat Lazuriyev, were instituted under the provisions of article 391 (3) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – abuse of power or office, excess of official or service authority or inaction of power, causing grave consequences.
Lieutenant-Colonel Nuzhat Lazuriyev and three soldiers – Hojiakbar Saifulloyev, Azamjon Kamolov and Shamsullo Yusupov – were reportedly sentenced to 11 ½ years in prison each.
Four other soldiers – Jonibek Qosimov, Fakhriddin Nozimov, Mahmadnazar Nozimov and Sunatullo Kholmatov – were sentenced to 9 ½ years in prison each.
Five soldiers of military unit 0215 were detained on April 24. The announcement came hours after a video showing a group of soldiers beating and humiliating a group of recruits appeared on the Internet and caused a public outcry just as conscription to mandatory two-year service in Tajikistan started.
